Lighter construction



Feb. 22, 1966 sMlTH 3,236,071

LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Dec. 13, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. /mc's Do /4L0 LEN/77] BY w, 4 44 54%, %m %@%m Feb. 22, 1966 J. D. SMITH LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Dec. 13, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JAMASS DON/M0 SMITH Feb. 22, 1966 J. D. SMITH LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Dec. 15, 1961 E nmunnmm Tifiil INVENTOR. James DO /440 Swvw BY 4 %%%1%5M ATTOP YS United States Patent 3,236,071 LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION James D. Smith, Pittsford, N .Y., assignor to Ronson Corporation, Woodbridge, N.J., a corporation of New Jerse Continii ation of application Ser. No. 159,048, Dec. 13, 1961. This application Nov. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 416,189

5 Claims. (Cl. 677.1)

This application is a continuation of my copending application, Serial No. 159,048, filed Dec. 13, 1961, now abandoned, and entitled Lighter Construction.

This invention relates to a construction for mechanical lighters such as are used by smokers, and more particularly, to such a construction embodying a liner forming a pressurized fuel chamber and mounting a fuel inlet valve and a burner valve, such liner being positioned within an outer shell or body.

In lighter constructions it is presently known to form the body, bottom plate, top plate and flint tube separately and then to solder them into a single assembly in which the top and bottom plates cooperate with the body to form a fuel chamber, a fuel inlet and a burner valve having first been mounted in the .bottom and top plates, respectively. However, in order to assure a seal of high integrity, as is particularly essential in lighters fueled with pressurized gas such as butane gas, it is necessary to use a hard solder and thus soldering temperatures of the order of 1300 F. are required. Since the various parts mentioned are often machined or stamped of relatively soft metals such as brass, for example, the soldering temperatures present a particular difiiculty in that they tend to distort not only the shell or body, but also the other parts, during assembly.

Additionally, it should be mentioned that the selection of metals from which the several parts mentioned may presently be fabricated is limited to rather costly metals such as brass and the like which may be soldered but which involve further cost in finishing by plating as with silver, gold, chromium or nickel, for example. On the other hand, aluminum and stainless steel are examples of metals that are desirable since they can be polished to acceptable finishes. Although aluminum can be anodized to a suitable jewelry finish it cannot be so finished after it has been soldered. In addition those metals such as aluminum and stainless steel are exceedingly diflicult to solder.

Thus, the difficulties with present constructions are essentially twofold. It is often necessary to use a relatively costly metal that requires plating to provide the desired finish, and, to assure high integrity seals a high temperature soldering operation is necessary, such temperature tending to have a detrimental effect on the metal being soldered. Present constructions therefore often require very precise control in assembly and involve a relatively high and costly waste factor.

I have conceived by my invention a novel construction which overcomes the foregoing difficulties and disadvantages and which enables me to eliminate the need for soldering, thus making almost any rigid material available for use in the fabrication of lighter body assemblies.

In essence, my invention resides in the utilization within a rigid body of a plastic liner which forms a pressure chamber for the fuel.

Thus, the use of liners formed of some plastic materials necessitates provision of means to assure that no part of the plastic is subjected to heat from the lighter flame thus to prevent the temperature of the plastic from being elevated sufficiently to reduce its strength to the point where excessive deformation may occur due to the pressure of the gas therein. Accordingly, a feature of the present invention resides in the provision of means for protecting the plastic from the effects of high temperature generated by burning of the lighter fuel. Such means will comprise formation of the outer shell or body so as to protect the plastic, but since various lighters are differently contoured, examples of such means will later be described.

Actually, I prefer to utilize a plastic material for the liner because suitable plastics are readily available, low in cost and easily worked. It is of course necessary that the plastic be sufiiciently rugged to withstand manual handling and use and that it be inert to the fuel. Thus, nylon is a suitable plastic for butane fueled lighters because of its high strength, impermeability and inertness to butane, low water absorption characteristics and its ability to be machined. Since, as will be discussed later in more detail, I prefer to glue the liner to the body, it is important that the liner be of a material that may be glued, welded or heat sealed, and nylon also meets this requirement.

As an important feature of my invention, the fuel inlet valve, the burner valve and the flint tube are mounted in the liner to form a sub-assembly which is then inserted into a body of metal or other rigid material. This feature contributes a further practical advantage in that if the body is scratched or marred as often occurs during manuafacturing and assembly, it can be discarded without loss of the sub-assembly. On the other hand, if the subassembly becomes damaged prior to final assembly, it can be discarded without loss of the outer body.

As has already been stated, I prefer to glue the liner into the body, but actually, only a loose fit is required since upon injecting a charge of pressurized gas into the fuel chamber, the liner will expand and frictionally engage the inner walls of the outer body to resist removal. It will be understood by those persons skilled in the art that this expansion will be facilitated by utilizing a thin walled construction for the liner; and this in turn offers the additional advantage that a relatively large fuel chamber may be provided while' also maintaining the overall dimensions of the apparatus within the limitations of a pocket lighter.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

It is to be noted that the present invention may be utilized with liquid fueled as well as gas fueled lighters. With liquid fueled lighters the body or outer covering may be dispensed with since the fuel is not under pressure, but means must be incorporated in the lighter to assure that no part of the plastic is subjected to heat from the lighter flame. Thus, deformation or actual ignition of the plastic is avoided.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention have been chosen for purpose of illustration and description and are shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part 7 of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 2 is a side ele'vational view of the lighter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a plastic liner assembly adapted for insertion into the body of the lighter illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the plastic liner assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the same plastic liner assembly;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a modified form of lighter embodying my invention;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the lighter of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line 99' of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view along the line 10-410 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective viewof a plastic liner assembly for insertion into the body of the lighter illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, 6and 7 thereof, there is shown a lighter which is similar in many respects to that shown and described in detail in the copending application of John Ansell Goddard and John Orr, Ser. No. 64,424, now Patent No. 3,116,622, entitled Operating Mechanism for Mechanical Lighters and filed on Oct. 24, 1960. For present purposes it is sufiicient to know that the lighter comprises a body 10 and an operating lever 11 pivotally supported between its ends by means of a fulcrum or pivot pin 12 mounted on theplastic liner body 19 (FIG. 6). The lower end of the lever 11 is shaped to receive the thumb or finger of an operator and the upper end has toothed racks or segments 14 (only one of which is shown) arranged for cooperation with mating toothed pinions 15 (only one being'shown). These pinions 15 are mounted on a-shaft 16 which is in turn supported on the plastic liner body. 19 and. carries a friction wheel 17, snufier 18 and clutch plate (not shown) which form part of the igniting system of the device.

As shown in FIGS..- 3 to 6, additional portions of the igniting system are supported in a liner 19 formed of a suitable plastic material, nylon havingbeen found to be quite satisfactory for this-purpose. The liner 19 may be machined, molded, or otherwise formed to any desired shape or contour to fit within an outer body or shell 10. Thus in the embodiment shown, the liner 19 maybe of circular cross-section and gradually diminishing in width along a slight curve from bottom to top when viewed in elevation. A recess 20 is formed in the liner to receive the lever 11 and a cradle 21 for the pin 12 is provided within the recess.

The uppermost end of the liner 19 is closed'by an integral wall 22 from the upper surface of which extend a pair of upstanding stepped lugs or ears 24, for a purpose to be described.

The liner 19 is also'closed at its lower end by' a plastic closure disc 27 which may be of the same material of which the body 10 is formed. It will be noted that the lower region of the liner 19 shown in'FIG. 6 is recessed as at 29 to receive the disc 27 which is afiixed thereto by a suitable glue, weld or heat seal.

As has already been stated, additional portions of the lighter operating elements are supported in the liner. Thus, a burner valve 30 is seated ina counterbored recess 31 in the upper wall 22 of the liner 19 and a fuel inlet valve 32 is similarly mounted inthe bottom closure comprising a disc 27. A conventional flint tube 34 is mounted at its lowerend in the bottom liner closure and at its upper end in the top Wall 22 of the liner at a location to-present a flint to the friction wheel 17 under the bias of the usual spring 35.

From the description thus-far, it will be seen that the liner 19 serves to mount the burner valve 30, the fuel inlet valve 32 and the flint tube 34 in a sub-assembly which also provides a sealedchamber or reservoir for the lighter fuel. As has been stated, it' is preferred that the liner fit within the body somewhat loosely. Before inserting the liner, a small amount of glue is applied. to its exterior to support it in place; however, upon the injection of gas such as butane under pressure the walls of the liner expand under the gas pressure and grip the inner body walls tightly due to the increased friction therebetween. Thus, the liner walls will be thin enough to permit such expansion and this in turn provides the additional advantage of allowing a large fuel chamber whilemaintaining the overall size of the device within the desired limits of a pocket lighter.

In order to assure proper dissipation of heat generated by the burner flame so as to prevent deformation and weakening of the plastic liner under the influenceof heat, the body 10 extends upwardly beyondthe top wall 22 of the liner and is formed with forwardly extending top portions 36 at the upper end thereof and these top portions are provided with inner walls 38 (FIG. 7) spaced from the top-portions 36 and adapted to receive and enclose the upstanding ears 24 thus completely to shield them from the heat of the flame at'the burner valve. Itwill be seen that the chambers formed by the-top portions 36 and inner walls 38 cooperate with, the ears 24 to guide and position the liner 19 relatively, tothe body 10. Additionally, the flame, is spaced above the wall 22 by reason of the fact that avalve control wheel 37 is positioned above the top surface of the wall 22 but below the flame. This control wheel is adjustable by a manually engageable knob 39.

The remaining'elements of the lighter comprise an action bracket 41 positioned within the recess 20 and slotted as at 99 to receive the pin 12 as does the. cradle 21, the brackets cooperating to retain the pin therebetween. The action bracket is. generally of channel section and has a short base 42 arranged to abut against the base of the recess 20. A roller bracket 44 also of general channel section is pivotally connected at one end to the lower end of the bracket 41 and a double-diameter roller 45 is rotatably mounted at the other end of bracket 44 to engage the inner surface of the lever 11. A helical tension spring 46 extends between pivot pin 12 and the spindle of roller 46, the-arrangement being such that the bracket 44 is normally retained in position to holdthe lever 11 in inoperative position from which it can be moved clockwise about the pin 12 to actuate the igniting mechanism. Abutments such as 47 on bracket 41 cooperate with the base of bracket 44 to prevent counter-clockwise movement of the bracket 44 beyond a predetermined point.

Upon actuation of the lever 11 the usual snutfer 18 rocks about the axis of the shaft 16 to draw a valve stem depressor in the form of a spring loaded ball 50 from the valve stem 51 of burner valve 30 to permit the escape of gas while the friction wheel 17 is simultaneously rotated over the surface of the flint to throw igniting sparks towards the valve outlet.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 to 11, there is illustrated the present concept applied to a lighter of the semi-automatic type. The body 60 may be of aluminum, stainless steel or the like and comprises a continuous wall 61 and a cover plate 62 secured thereto. Acap 64 is mounted on the plate 62 for pivotal movement between open and closed position by means of a U-shaped internal bracket 65 to which is connected a fiat spring 66 providing a toggle action as the cap is-moved to either position.

A further bracket member 68 mounted within the cap supports a shaft 69 carrying the friction Wheel 70 (FIG. 10). The cap 64 has attached thereto a cylinder 71 carrying a spring loaded ball 72 which serves the same purpose as the ball 50 in the earlier discussed embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates a liner assembly such as would be used in the lighter body 60. Thus, the assembly comprises a liner 74 adapted to fit loosely within the body or shell 60 and having the same bottom closure construction as has already been described in connection with the liner 19, Wherefore a plate 75 of the same material as the body 60 provides a side surface flush with that of the body 60.

As is best shown in FIGS. and 12, a burner valve 77 is mounted in the top Wall of the body '74 and a flint tube 79 extends from the bottom to the top wall thereof. A fuel inlet valve 80 is also mounted in the liner bottom wall, as seen in FIG. 10. The inlet valve and flint tube may of course be provided with closure caps in the manner familiar to those persons skilled in the art.

As in the previously discussed embodiment, the liner is dimensioned to fit loosely within the body and is initially glued therein, the liner being thin enough so that the pressurized fuel will expand the liner walls firmly to grip the inner walls of the body.

It will be noted that the liner 74 is of a vertical dimension, as viewed in FIG. 10, such that its top wall is positioned somewhat below the plate 64, the flint tube and burner valve being of a length to extend up and through the plate 62 which is apertured for that purpose. Thus, in this embodiment, the plastic liner is protected from the effects of the flame by the plate 62 and the space between it and the top of the liner.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have contributed a novel construction which enables me to eliminate the need for soldering of the body, thus making almost any rigid material available for use in the fabrication of lighter body assemblies.

While my invention has been described and illustrated with reference to gas fueled lighters, certain features thereof are applicable as well to liquid fueled lighters. In the embodiments described and illustrated, therefore, there is no intention of limiting the invention solely to gas fueled lighters, since the principles of my invention are applicable as well to liquid fueled lighters.

With liquid fueled lighters however, the fuel is not stored in the liner under pressure, and therefore if desired it is possible to dispense with the outer casing or body. Since the liner or fuel chamber is formed of plastic however, it is important to position a shield or barrier of some type between the flame and the plastic, or a heat conducting material which will rapidly dissipate the heat. The purpose for this, as with the gas fueled lighters, is to prevent the temperature of the plastic from being sufficiently elevated so that it will become pliable and def-cum, or actively ignite.

I believe that the construction and assembly of my novel apparatus will now be understood and that the advantages of my invention will be fully appreciated by those persons skilled in the art.

I new claim:

1. A gas flame lighter for burning a volatile fuel contained within said lighter under a predetermined liquefying pressure above atmospheric comprising:

(a) an outer rigid casing having an opening at one end and an inner cross-sectional dimension no larger than the dimension of said opening;

(b) an inner chamber member having pressure expandable wall portions and a normal preformed selfsustaining shape complementary to the inner contour of said outer casing for insertion through said opening and disposed in mating relationship within said outer casing for holding said fuel with said wall portions of the chamber member held in pressure locking contact with the outer casing through pressure exerted by said fuel and said chamber member as a whole thereby held within said outer casing;

(c) fuel metering means communicating with the mterior of said chamber member and operative to transmit fuel from within said chamber member to a burner element mounted thereabove; and

(d) fuel inlet means communicating between the interior of said chamber member and the exterior of said lighter through said opening for admitting said fuel into said chamber member.

2. A lighter according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said outer casing and inner chamber member together have a combined strength suflicient to withstand internal pressures of an order of magnitude comparable to said predetermined pressure without apparent overall deformation.

3. A lighter according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) said inner chamber member is of plastic material;

and

(b) said outer casing includes a flame resistant wall interposed between the outer end of said fuel metering means and said chamber member to prevent flame heating effects from adversely affecting said chamber member.

4. A gas flame lighter for burning a volatile fuel contained within said lighter under a predetermined liquefying pressure above atmospheric comprising:

(a) an outer rigid casing having an opening at one end and an inner cross-sectional dimension no larger than the dimension of said opening;

(b) an inner plastic chamber member having pressure expandable side wall portions and rigid upper and lower walls and a normal preformed self-sustaining shape complementary to the inner contour of said outer casing for insertion through said opening and disposed in mating relationship within said outer casing for holding said fuel with said side wall portions of the chamber member held in pressure locking contact with the outer casing through pressure exerted by said fuel and said chamber member as a whole thereby held within said outer casing, said outer casing and inner chamber member together having a combined strength sufiicient to withstand internal pressures of an order of magnitude comparable to said predetermined pressure without apparent overall deformation;

(-0) a burner valve sealably and permanently mounted on the upper rigid wall of said plastic chamber member, said burner valve communicating between a point within said chamber member and an ignition point disposed thereabove;

(d) a flame resistant wall extending laterally between said ignition point and said upper wall of the plastic chamber member to prevent flame heating effects at said ignition point from adversely affecting said plastic chamber member; and

(e) fuel inlet valve means communicating between the interior of said plastic chamber member through said lower rigid wall thereof and the exterior of said lighter through the opening therein for admitting said fuel into said chamber member to expand it into said locking relationship with said outer casing.

5. A gas flame lighter for burning a volatile fuel contained within said lighter under a predetermined liquefying pressure above atmospheric comprising:

(a) an outer elongated rigid casing having a top wall and side walls and an open bottom;

(b) an elongated plastic chamber member having a normal preformed self-sustaining shape complementary to the inner contour of said outer casing slidably received within said outer casing through the open bottom thereof and having a substantially rigid upper wall disposed adjacent the top wall of said outer casing, a substantially rigid bottom wall closing the open bottom of said outer casing and side walls disposed adjacent the side walls of said outer casing which are laterally deformable into pressure locking contact with the side walls of said outer casing in response to the internal'pressure of fuel contained therein;

' (c) a burner valve sealably and permanently mounted on the upper Wall of said plastic chamber member 1 and communicating between a point within said chamber member and an ignition point disposed above the top Wall of said outer casing;

(d) a flint tube containing a resiliently biased flint element at one end, said one end being held by the upper wall of said chamber member in proximity to said ignition point;

(e) a sparking wheel operatively mounted above said flint tube; and

(f) fuel inlet valve means sealably and permanently mounted in the lower rigid Wall of said chamber member for admitting said volatile fuel into said chamber member to expand the side Walls thereof into said locking relationship with the side Walls of said outer casing to thereby hold said chamber member within said outer casing.

References (fitted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1950 Quercia 67-41 11/1952 Prusack 67-7.1 3/ 1954 Bruchett 677.1 10/ 1954- Hepburn 677 .1 1/1956 Ward 67-7.1 8/ 1958 Switzer 22063 X 3/1959 Barton 220--63 X 6/1962 Bush 220-63 3/ 1963 Quercia 67-7.1 3/1963 Schulze 22063 FOREIGN PATENTS 3/ 1957 Austria. 10/ 1961 Germany.

3/ 1961 Great Britain.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GAS FLAME LIGHTER FOR BURNING A VOLATILE FUEL CONTAINED WITHIN SAID LIGHTER UNDER A PREDETERMINED LIQUEFYING PRESSURE ABOVE ATMOSPHERIC COMPRISING: (A) AN OUTER RIGID CASING HAVING AN OPENING AT ONE END AND INNER CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION NO LARGER THAN THE DIMENSION OF SAID OPENING; (B) AN INNER CHAMBER MEMBER HAVING PRESSURE EXPANDABLE WALL PORTIONS AND A NORMAL PREFORMED SELFSUSTAINING SHAPE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE INNER CONTOUR OF SAID OUTER CSING FOR INSERTION THROUGH SAID OPENING AND DISPOSED IN MATING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID OUTER CASING FOR HOLDING SAID FUEL WITH SAID WALL PORTIONS OF THE CHAMBER MEMBER HELD IN PRESSURE LOCKING CONTACT WITH THE OUTER CASING THROUGH PRESSURE EXERTED BY SAID FUEL AND SAID CHAMBER MEMBER AS A WHOLE THEREBY HELD WITHIN SAID OUTER CASING; (C) FUEL METERING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER MEMBER AND OPERATIVE TO TRANSMIT FUEL FROM WITHIN SAID CHAMBER MEMBER TO A BURNER ELEMENT MOUNTED THEREABOVE; AND 